BLUEBIRDS SUPPORT 'ENJOY THE MATCH'

25 October 2016

Cardiff City Football Club is joining all other EFL clubs across the country, in reinforcing a league-wide commitment to saying no to bad language and aggressive behavior in family areas on match-days, making the match-day experience more enjoyable for all.

Junior and family attendances across the EFL has risen significantly over recent seasons, a ringing endorsement of clubs’ extensive work to reach out, attract and engage with families. Supporting all of this work is the EFL’s Enjoy the Match Campaign, an initiative that for many seasons has helped clubs to promote a zero-tolerance policy on anti-social behaviour in family areas.

The Enjoy the Match campaign can be seen across all EFL league stadia and, alongside the EFL’s Family Excellence Awards Scheme, it plays a crucial role in helping clubs to attract families and young supporters to EFL matches.

Here at Cardiff City Football Club, we want our fans to feel safe and part of a vibrant exciting match-day experience. We ask all supporters to encourage the players, respect the match officials and help to create a great atmosphere inside Cardiff City Stadium.

Cardiff City FC wholeheartedly believes that the match-day experience is not limited to ninety minutes of football action on the pitch, which is why we offer a diverse selection of activities at every home game to those seated in the Family Stand. Ranging from football-related drills to cricket or boules, we aim to provide at least three sporting activities per match for the whole family to enjoy.

Our face-painters are also stationed beyond the turnstiles ready to decorate the faces of our incoming supporters, and of course, it’s a service we provide free of charge. Our resident mascot, Bartley is stationed in the Family Stand before kick-off, and is often accompanied by a senior squad player when meeting and greeting our young supporters.

Cardiff City Football Club runs a series of initiatives throughout the season that allow us to engage with families, school children and parents alike. These initiatives keep our Family Stand busy and vibrant on match-days and it is naturally down to us to do all we can off the field to keep them coming back smiling and proud to be a Bluebird.

It is vital that our supporters feel able to report any instances of anti-social behavior that they witness on match-days so we can take any necessary action as required. The Enjoy the Match campaign provides supporters with the opportunity to raise any issues with the club in confidence.

EFL Chief Executive Shaun Harvey said of the campaign: “So many of our clubs are now displaying innovative and engaging ways in which they are interacting with families and junior fans.

“There has never been a better time to visit your local EFL club on a match-day, and enjoy the sorts of entertainment clubs are now providing to ensure the experience stretches well beyond the ninety minutes on the pitch.

“The new club-branded Enjoy the Match campaign materials are another vital cog in the wheel to ensure that the hard work being undertaken by clubs in providing such experiences, are not undermined by unwanted anti-social behavior in family areas. Clubs are vigilant in this area and need fans’ support to ensure everyone attending can Enjoy the Match.”